Approximately 14 months ago, I began having an intermittent, completely random problem with smell distortion. No specific trigger, just a sudden occurrence. I get this unpleasant burnt food type smell. (burnt popcorn comes to mind). It will persist sometimes all day, then when I wake up the next morning, it's gone.It used to happen maybe once every 2 or so months, but in the last month has been 3-4 days a week. It ruins taste too. Sometimes a dull headache is there, with vague pressure. Bad smell is localized to one nostril. I get nasal congestion on a random basis too-can go days on end just fine. Got referred to ENT, had CT scan of sinuses that revealed a small polyp on same side of nose where the smell distortion occurs. No sinus infection. So I've been prescribed Nasonex, but the ENT seemed to convey that the polyp wouldn't cause the smell distortion. Surgery is hardly indicated. He said that if smell persists, maybe go to a Taste & Smell Clinic. I wanted to further confirm that the polyp isn't the cause of the smell problem, but he didn't really give me the chance to ponder this. He wrote the RX, and stated I didn't present with anything typical, per se, but I also felt somewhat blown off and he sort of politely, but firmly told me he had to get moving along to the next person. I almost felt like I annoyed him, but I can't help that my smell issue isn't a textbook issue, and just because I don't seem to have symptoms that warrant a diagnosis of chronic sinusitis doesn't mean my symptoms aren't valid! I have random bouts of the sniffles, and itchy eyes, so I think I have some variation of allergies, just not ones that follow a clear pattern. But I wonder-anyone with polyps ever have a distortion in smell, the unpleasant type?

Last edited by freje; 04-12-2008 at 08:16 PM.

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lvdavekath (03-22-2012)

Yes-I may just get another opinion. I should give the Nasonex a chance, but since starting it, nasal congestion is fine, but smell issue persists. It's got its obnoxious game on right now, again, with no reason for why it got triggered. I'm not congested at all. In fact, this is 3 days in a row. I get a break, in that I wake up and it's gone, but then triggers on again at whatever point as the day progresses. I'm not at all surgery happy, but I have to wonder if just even a biopsy might help, like to check if there's a fungus or something, unless that is something that a CT scan would show (which would then mean I don't have that issue anyway!) Well, I need the chance to at least be able to ASK that kind of question, which the ENT I saw didn't make conducive. I also don't think I should go to a Taste & Smell Center unless I've seen another regular ENT first for a second opinion for something that could have been overlooked.